Marquette Frontcourt

[drbob]

I am probably old school but I don't understand Marquette's reluctance to have an inside and mid-range game. We have nothing to fall back on when the 3's are not falling and we are getting beat up on the boards. In the recruiting article on Stevens it mentions another 7ft Connecticut signee. All I see for Marquette are 6'5 to 6'8 recruits.  Don't think it will get us back to the promise land. PS  I love Shaka and have been a diehard Warrior since 1968 so not just trying to throw shade on the program

[wadesworld]

We have a 7 footer on our roster who will play next year.

[MUfan12]

Things must be tough if we're back to aircraft carriers and midrange jumpers.

[GoldenEagles03]

I am probably old school but I don't understand Marquette's reluctance to have an inside and mid-range game. We have nothing to fall back on when the 3's are not falling and we are getting beat up on the boards. In the recruiting article on Stevens it mentions another 7ft Connecticut signee. All I see for Marquette are 6'5 to 6'8 recruits.  Don't think it will get us back to the promise land. PS  I love Shaka and have been a diehard Warrior since 1968 so not just trying to throw shade on the program

I actually agree. The way they see it is dunks and layups are the highest percentage shots, but 3s are worth more, so those are the only 2 types of shots they are looking for...but in year 1 Darryl and Justin were elite in the midrange. Joplin also has shown a great ability in the midrange. Not sure who else on this roster has that ability but I'd love to see it utilized by Joplin, especially against a zone as the free throw outlet.

[Uncle Rico]

I'd like to believe this post was made in honor of Lenny

[tower912]

Dr. Bob, next season's roster, as currently constructed, will feature 7'1 Clark, 6'11 Gold, 6'9 Hamilton, 6'9 Parham, 6'9 Amadou.  None are the traditional aircraft carrier you are looking for.
  The college game and the NBA are moving away from the traditional post up, focusing on player movement, threes, and layups.  This is not specifically an MU issue.   However, hitting some foul line jumpers would be useful against the zones MU is seeing.
  Finally, if you want to see traditional post ups and mid-range jumpers, I recommend Indiana.  They feed Ballo and they run shooters off screens to get 15 ft jumpers.  The fanbase is calling for Woodson's head due to guard play and lack of 3 pt shooting.   But they do have an aircraft carrier and mid range shooting.

[WarriorFan]

Tough guards who can make floaters, mid-range jumpers and other tough shots win BEAST and NCAA tournament games. 

[tower912]

They help.  I have fond memories of MU winning the Big East tourney in 2023 with a barrage of mid range jumpers.

[Uncle Rico]

Tough guards who can make floaters, mid-range jumpers and other tough shots win BEAST and NCAA tournament games.

40% of UConn's shots were from 3 last year

[tower912]

All of the above can be true.  It would be nice to have an aircraft carrier.  Making foul line jumpers can help against a zone.  MU won a big East regular season and tournament without it.  UConn had aircraft carriers and shot 40% of their shots from 3.

Last season, in the final, there was a clash of titans, the likes of which that college basketball is unlikely to see again.  Edey vs Clingan.   7'4 vs 7'2.  Do you remember all of the talk about how they didn't project to the next level?  Do you remember who won the battle and who won the war and why?  UConn dominated by letting Edey get his and clamping down on the 3s.

[The Sultan]

Tough guards who can make floaters, mid-range jumpers and other tough shots win BEAST and NCAA tournament games.

Yep. It would really be nice if we could win those. Maybe even a Big East or BET title. That'd be cool.

[DoctorV]

Win Anyway

[wadesworld]

Tough guards who can make floaters, mid-range jumpers and other tough shots win BEAST and NCAA tournament games.

We've won plenty of BE games and a number of NCAA Tournament games under Shaka.

[brewcity77]

We've won plenty of BE games and a number of NCAA Tournament games under Shaka.

Yesterday I was discussing this with someone who was disappointed that we haven't had the type of success Buzz had, going S16/S16/E8. But Shaka had as many NCAA wins in his first three years as Buzz, more total wins, and more Big East wins & titles. By any measure this has been a wildly successful start.

[wadesworld]

Yesterday I was discussing this with someone who was disappointed that we haven't had the type of success Buzz had, going S16/S16/E8. But Shaka had as many NCAA wins in his first three years as Buzz, more total wins, and more Big East wins & titles. By any measure this has been a wildly successful start.

Yup. And Buzz started with Dominic James, Jerel McNeal, and Wesley Matthews as seniors and after the previous coach had so much success he took what was a blue blood job. Shaka took over from Wojo.

[tower912]

Yesterday I was discussing this with someone who was disappointed that we haven't had the type of success Buzz had, going S16/S16/E8. But Shaka had as many NCAA wins in his first three years as Buzz, more total wins, and more Big East wins & titles. By any measure this has been a wildly successful start.

For the last 2.6 seasons, 71-19, 37-10, Big East tourney, 3 NCAA tourney wins. Shaka owes no apologies.  These are the good old days.

[Scoop Snoop]

Yesterday I was discussing this with someone who was disappointed that we haven't had the type of success Buzz had, going S16/S16/E8. But Shaka had as many NCAA wins in his first three years as Buzz, more total wins, and more Big East wins & titles. By any measure this has been a wildly successful start.

We've raised the bar quite a bit for Shaka and the team. Saturday was a nightmare for most of the game, but we had a chance to go into OT after being down 19. Of course, we never should have been down anywhere near that much, but we are hardly the only highly ranked team to be embarrassed. Then #1 Tennessee lost to Florida by 30. And they lost to Vanderbilt. Yes, road games, but still....

To be clear, I'm not blowing off the past 3 games. The Xavier and DePaul games in particular are Exhibits A and B to support the case that we have some serious problems. Our season is far from doomed. Let's cut Shaka and the team some slack.

[MUfan12]

The desire from some to throw the baby out with the bathwater after a few poor performances is irritating.

The way MU plays has led to incredible success, wildly above any of our expectations over the past 3+ seasons. I think they have a good idea of what they're doing.

Sure there are tweaks to be made, and we saw some Saturday with the sub patterns, but wanting Ben to be a post or the team to start taking contested middies is madness.

I could be wrong, and this season could go into the tank, and I'll admit it if it happens. But goodness me, 18 of the top 25 lost at least once last week. Sh*t happens in college ball.

[DoctorV]

For the last 2.6 seasons, 71-19, 37-10, Big East tourney, 3 NCAA tourney wins. Shaka owes no apologies.  These are the good old days.

I agree, but it's tough being at the top.

Being spoiled is a good thing, it means the program has created high expectations.

Don't lose in Newark though, please!

Two interesting things about the above:
1- our idea of "being at the top," even though still a great and difficult place to be, is nowhere near the actual top. See UConn.

2- it'll be interesting to see how Shaka actually handles his first true "fall from Grace" at Marquette. Hopefully it won't be this season, possibly next. I'm talking several consecutive losses and a severe down stretch or down year. When it comes, hopefully it means 9-10 seed in the NCAAt.

Tower- I know you didn't mention "being at the top," that was my phrase. Barring a run to the F4 or a National Championship this stretch is close to that.
For the record I do expect Marquette to reach another level under Shaka, and to be playing for a Natty in the next 5 years.
I think one run like that would really open things up for Coach Smart and could lead to a dynasty. He, and Marquette, will need some lucky bounces and plenty of shots to fall in key moments, but with sustained defensive success it is possible

[tower912]

In drbob's defense, he seems to be lamenting the changes in the game from when he was young to now, and then applying it to MU.  When he started watching MU, post play was paramount, there was no shot clock or 3 point line.  20 foot jumpers would get you benched, running shooters off of screens for catch and shoot 15 foot jumpers was the norm.  Which was fine.  It just isn't where the game is now. 

[Scoop Snoop]

In drbob's defense, he seems to be lamenting the changes in the game from when he was young to now, and then applying it to MU.  When he started watching MU, post play was paramount, there was no shot clock or 3 point line.  20 foot jumpers would get you benched, running shooters off of screens for catch and shoot 15 foot jumpers was the norm.  Which was fine.  It just isn't where the game is now.

Well, he did start the post off with "I'm probably old school, but...". Spot on Tower. Dr Bob and I both saw that style of basketball and it was a very different game. Then was then and now is now. 

[tower912]

I agree, but it's tough being at the top.

Being spoiled is a good thing, it means the program has created high expectations.

Don't lose in Newark though, please!

Two interesting things about the above:
1- our idea of "being at the top," even though still a great and difficult place to be, is nowhere near the actual top. See UConn.

2- it'll be interesting to see how Shaka actually handles his first true "fall from Grace" at Marquette. Hopefully it won't be this season, possibly next. I'm talking several consecutive losses and a severe down stretch or down year. When it comes, hopefully it means 9-10 seed in the NCAAt.

Tower- I know you didn't mention "being at the top," that was my phrase. Barring a run to the F4 or a National Championship this stretch is close to that.
For the record I do expect Marquette to reach another level under Shaka, and to be playing for a Natty in the next 5 years.
I think one run like that would really open things up for Coach Smart and could lead to a dynasty. He, and Marquette, will need some lucky bounces and plenty of shots to fall in key moments, but with sustained defensive success it is possible

V, UConn over the last two seasons  is the pinnacle.  And MU beat them twice.
As far as how Shaka will handle the inevitable down season, probably by protecting his players and focusing on development.
  I think you are subtly alluding to the portal.  OK. Next year 14 scholarships are filled.  At the end of 25-26, the only ones guaranteed to be leaving are Chase and Ben. Barring unexpected departures, there are 3 scholarships available for 2026.  We know Shaka is hot after a number of 2026 recruits. 

IMO, a down season will not cause Shaka to hit the portal.  Only unexpected transfers out resulting in big holes.  There won't be openings unless that happens.

[Newsdreams]

Damn European bigs, screwed the US game invented by a Canadian, by becoming good outside shooters and more mobile. Liked it more when I was a teenager and they could only play offense on the post with backs to the basket. Good old times were simpler, why the F do things have to evolve!

[brewcity77]

Don't lose in Newark though, please!

Be nice if we could go 3-0 in Newark this year.

[PointWarrior]

Win Anyway

But they did not.